Mirwood Ranger Handbook: Wilderness Survival
The Wilderness Survival section of the Mirwood Ranger Handbook covers the basic skills and suggested techniques for rangers of the Ranger Order of Mirwood to live and survive the wild in both long-term and short-term situations. Introduction This chapter of the Mirwood Ranger Handbook focuses on basic survival skills and information needed to face the challenges of the wilderness. The information here concerns both short-term and long-terms situations. Though the circumstances of wilderness survival may vary, the essentials necessary to be successful in preserving one’s life and health is the same. The following guide will cover these basic essentials and include supplemental information to help with the process of survivability. =Your Pack= ---- When staying alone in the wilderness, you must be a self-contained unit and carry all you need on your back and on your person - everything necessary to sustain you. The Five Cs You can organize your essentials based on the Five Cs of Survivability. These items are the hardest to reproduce (but not impossible!) from natural material, take the most amount of skill to reproduce, and control conditions that directly affect body core temperature. These items, along with your knowledge of the landscape and your survival know-how, make it easy to pack a light kit: # Cutting tools - for manufacturing needed items and processing food. # Cover elements - for protection from the elements. # Combustion devices - for creating fires, making medicines, and providing warmth. # Containers - for water, food, and storage. # Cordages - for bindings and lashings. These five essential categories will be the core of what you pack and carry. You can then add things for first aid, navigation, and repair to make your stay in the wilderness a little easier. However, be careful! Don’t carry so much as to make it cumbersome. Be careful to choose the right elements for your kit and ensure that these items are of a good quality to last you some time. Additionally, make sure that they can perform many needed tasks well. Carrying Your Gear Bedrolls You will need two wool blankets - one large and one smaller. Fold the larger blanket in half with the smaller one folded in half on top of this. To this you should add elements of your kits that you don't immediately need, as they will be confined to this roll until you set up camp. Spare clothing and dry tinder are great things to put inside for safe keeping! Once the roll is laid out, fold a 12 feet piece of rope in half and place it at the end of the roll. Roll the rope up into the bedroll. A loop will extend from one side, and the two tails of the rope will extend from the other side. Fee these tails through the loop and tie them off. Fold your tarp around the roll, strap the roll together with two pieces of rope around the outside, and knot them off. Now your bedroll is ready to attach to a pack frame! Pack Frames Pack frames can be used as a standalone item or combined with other items. An improvised frame can be constructed in minutes from easily-obtained materials while lasting many years if the lashings are strong and the wood selection is sound. To create a pack frame, first find and cut three components from a single hardwood sapling, and lash them together as such: *Split a piece of hardwood about 2 inches wider than the length of your armpit to your wrist. This will be the lumbar slat. *Cut 2 pieces 1-1½ times the length of your arm, from your armpit to your outstretched fingertips. *Lash the longer components about 1 inch from the ends of the lumbar slat, then cross and diagonal lash them about 4 inches from the top to create a triangle. *Make 7 or so toggle points for tying gear to the frame. *Create a strap for the frame with a long single piece of rope by making a knot passing through the top X of the frame. Then wrap the rope around the “ears” of the lumbar piece. Tie around your waist to secure. To pack this frame, lash your “bedroll” to the frame using rope in an X fashion, and tie it off with a knot before adding the straps and wearing the pack. Pack Basket Pack baskets are generally made from woven wood and drain well if you put anything in it that is wet. In these packs you can carry metal traps, trap tools, and other gear without puncturing your canvas or other pack materials. If you combine a canvas pack, an inner bag, and a pack basket, you can have three different carrying options as one unit. You can set camp, remove the inner bag containing camp gear, remove the trap basket and put it on a line while camped, and have the empty canvas pack to carry resources for short scouts. Haversack A haversack is a small bag carried on one side of the body. The sizes vary and are a matter of personal preference. They are usually made of cloth, leather, oilcloth, or canvas. This bag should be used to carry items that are of immediate importance or for items collected along the journey. Do not over stuff this bag! You need room to store material you find on the trail - like quick tinder sources. Belt Pouches Belt pouches are usually made of leather and are where you keep your main fire kit and a spare carving knife. Carry the most important items you need in these pouches, especially if you left everything behind at camp or lose your supplies. Sample Carry Kit Belt *Sheath knife *Waterskin *Small hatchet Belt Pouch(es) *Flint and steel *Carving knife *Gnomish army knife *10 feet of thin rope or line Haversack *Kerchief *Cordage *Spare flint and steel *Leather gloves Pack *Canvas or oilcloth tarp *Large foldable bag *Large wool blanket *Small wool blanket *Hunter’s axe *Thin rope *Bow saw *Pot *Skillet *3 candles and 6 sticks of fatwood *Rope and cord *Repair kits *Whetstone =Tools= ---- Belt Knife A belt knife is one of the most important tools a woodsman can own. Because of this, you should always keep this tool directly attached to you to keep it from becoming lost. With a belt knife, you can recreate all other items you need in an emergency. What’s the perfect knife? Let’s examine the qualities of a knife that will be most useful to you! A blade that is too small will make it difficult to process firewood, especially if you don’t have an axe or one isn’t available. A blade that’s too big will make finer cuts and carving tasks more difficult. The happy medium is about 4 ½ - 6 inches in length. Any knife you carry as a belt knife should be of full tang design. This means the entire knife is one piece of metal with the handles attached to the outside. This is very important because knives are used so often and take a lot of abuse! Gnomish Army Knife A Gnomish Army Knife is a known as a multi-tool, developed and engineered by gnomes. These contraptions are handy and multi-functional - some not only have different types of knives, but tools for skinning, clippers for collecting herbs, and a pick for terraforming. If you can afford one of these tools, they are very compact and useful to have. Saws As with knives, there are a variety of saws, and they have many important uses. They are lightweight, compact, and are safer than swinging an axe. Sometimes, they are even more precise! Make sure to always keep the blades of your saw covered when not using them. Safety is important, and so is proper saw care! Keep it oiled with the same lubricants you use for your knife and other metal tools. Axes There are many types of axes, handles, and heads available. What you need to consider as a woodsman (or woman!) is what needs your axe must fulfill, what types of wood are found in your area, and how much weight you can carry. The bigger the age, the safer it is t handle. It takes less inertia to remove material and requires a lighter, more controlled swing. A belt axe, also known as a hatchet, is a staple to any hunter or outdoorsman! Always choose a wooden handle so that you can replace it in an emergency. Size, weight, and shape are matters of personal preference. Any axe or hatchet with a handle of less than 16 inches and a head less than 2 pounds can be hung on a belt without becoming overly cumbersome. If you want to carry a bigger axe, make sure that it can do the work required of it around camp on the trail. For example, if you need chop down larger trees, you’ll want a good felling axe. For tasks smaller than that, a hunter’s axe can be very useful and is a great all-around axe =Rope, Cordage, and Knots= ----You must carry cordage as one of the main elements of your kit because of its usefulness in creating other items. Cordage is useful for making fire, lashings, and bindings and is essential in trapping, fishing, and many other things! Making Cordage While you can make cordage from natural material, it takes a lot of time. To make a natural cord, you must have the right materials. They must be fairly strong, depending on its use, and it must be available during all seasons. To make a single cord from natural material of passable strength, you only need to look for vines or the roots of spruce trees! It is best to test materials in your area before you need them by harvesting a section and attempting to tie an overhand knot in the cord. If doing this breaks the cord, it probably won’t be viable for some tasks. But if you can make three or four wraps around your finger and it does not split or break, it may be useful for other applications. Here’s how to make one type of two-ply cordage that can be used in many ways! The best material to find will be the inner bark of a hickory or poplar tree. Some other options are nettle and dogbane. Recently fallen trees are the least desirable cordage material but are the easiest to harvest. * Pry the edge of this bark with your knife and peel it off; it should come off in long strips, depending on the tree. * Remove the outer bark to get to the inner bark fibers. * Now, turn these bark fibers into smaller strands, then group the strands to obtain the desired diameter of the cord. * Separate the strands into two separate bundles. * Hold both bundles at the same time but keep them separate. Then twist them one at a time in the same direction. * After this, pinch both bundles in the opposite direction. * Repeat until finished. It is a good idea to start with bundles of two different lengths so you can splice another bundle into the cord to add length. Do this only one side at a time, never at the same time! When you reach approximately 1 inch from the end of the shortest bundle, add another bundle on that side, twisting it and making it one bundle. Continue to reverse wrap until the splice is in the cord! Lashings, Bindings, and Toggles Lashings Lashings are used to construct objects that will be under some load or are meant to support something else. Tripods, pack frames, camp furniture, and A-frame shelters support all require lashings.Shear or straight lashings are used when two objects are tied side by side and then separate, causing the lashing to tighten. A diagonal lash is used with sticks that cross each other while being lashed - like the top of a pack frame. Bindings Bindings are used to keep something from coming apart. For example, you use a binding to keep the end of a rope fraying. You also use a binding to haft something, such as an arrow point to a shaft. Sometimes bindings are used with adhesives and sometimes it’s not, depending on the application. Toggles A toggle is very useful for almost any application - from cooking to trapping, packing to carrying gear. A toggle is a simple wood stick connected to a line by a knot. This can then be used as a simple attachment point and is easily moved or removed. Tips and Tricks for Rope and Cordage * Toggles in a rope tied with a lark’s head knot and a jam knot are great for hanging gear! * To make rawhide cordage, insert your knife into a section of a stump and thinly slice the hide in a circular fashion. This will give you much longer single cords than trying to cut along the length of hide. * Some ropes, depending on material, will melt if burned. You can make an emergency adhesive or patch small holes in containers with this. * Do not store cordage wet. This will cause mildew and break down the fibers. =Sheltering= ----When planning for shelter, a woodsman needs to consider long-term and short-term options. You may intend to build a permanent base camp and shelter, but still might need to travel for a night or two to hunt, trap, or fish. Because of this, your sheltering kit should include a system that takes you easily from permanent shelter to the woods with supplies that can be used in either situation or location. The base of this kit includes: * Waterproof tarp * Wool blanket * Sleeve of canvas The Three Ws * Wind * Water * Wood Wind The direction and intensity of wind have an impact on safely keeping a fire going and on the ability to heat your shelter. Middle-ground areas where wind is present but not too strong are ideal. Water Locating your camp nearby areas such as creek beds provide a steady source of water. Wood Building fires, shelters, and other resources require a lot of wood. A great source of firewood can come from large fallen trees, and trees can provide a steady supply of fatwood. Establishing a Base Camp Setting up a base camp allows you to save yourself from having to carry all your supplies on your back all the time. Building a permanent shelter is a large task, and probably will take a few days of work - longer if you don’t have help. With that in mind, the first thing to do when you arrive at where you intend to create your base camp is to build a temporary shelter. Just remember to finish your permanent shelter before the weather demands one. For a permanent shelter, you can build a larger version of your temporary base camp from natural materials, or you can pack a larger canvas shelter in your kit. Whatever the case, it should have at least three sides for protection from the weather. A raised bed is a must in colder weather, but a hammock is usually enough in fair weather. Permanent Shelter Options The best type of permanent shelter will depend on the environment, season, resources, available equipment, and the skill level of the woodsman. There are a few simple designs that can be utilized; anything too difficult or complicated to build is likely to be left unfinished! Caves and Rock Houses Just like animals, a woodsman can construct his own shelter by adopting existing elements in nature. These caves and stone shelters endure in nature, though it does take some effort to make them comfortable. There are some downsides to caves, which are worth noting. If you’re in an area with high humidity of a lot annual rainfall, caves are not the best choice. A wet cave is a miserable place to sleep, and the moisture can create dangerous bacteria growth, mold, weak stone integrity, and a dampness that will leave you almost perpetually cold! A cave might also be home to insects or other mammals. Raised Platform Shelters A raised platform shelter is constructed by attacking wood pieces with lashings and cross members to create a platform. Just remember: the more complex the shelter, the more resources and tools you’ll need! The raised platform should be about 3’-5’ above the ground - but this will depend on factors such as wildlife, resources, and environment. Make the platform about 2’ wider than the inside dimension of the shelter you plan to put on top of it and at least 6’ longer to leave room for open work areas. Log Cabins Building a small cabin with a single pitched roof is simple from a design perspective. It is, however, very labor-intensive and requires a lot of timber. An 8’ x 10’ cabin is sufficient for a single person, with anything larger being difficult to heat. Camp Amenities No matter how big your base came is, or what purpose it may serve, these are a few amenities to include for comfort and convenience. Lighting You need to think about lighting sources to use when your fire dies down or before your fire is built. Candles work the best, proving light and having an open flame to aid in an emergency or late-night fire starting. The beeswax can also be melted and used for other purposes - such as rubbing it on your tools to prevent rusting! A simple lantern can be made from empty cans to protect the candle from going out in the wind. You can also use fat from animals to make oil lamp. And concave container can make an easy lamp. All you need is a wick, which can be made from cotton rope or natural cordage. You can also use a ball of cattail fluff or corded cedar bark for a quick, temporary wick. To make candles, you dip the wick of natural cord in a pan of melted tallow, then let it cool before dipping it again. The thickness increases each time you dip into the tallow and allow the layers to cool. The difference between tallow and lard is tallow will harden at room temperature while lard will stay soft. Torches can be made by dipping dead plant tops into fat and letting them dry. Soap Many plants have natural saponins, which are created when making soaps. This substance occurs naturally in many plants and creates a nice lather to be used as a soap. Bracken ferns and yuccas are two examples of plants that are high in saponins. Latrine For short-term outings, it’s easy enough to walk away from camp and dig a small hole for a latrine. For longer-term outings, a pit latrine will most likely be necessary. It should be a comfortable distance from camp but well away from any groundwater source. A good practice is to add ashes from the campfire into the pit latrine daily. This will cover the smell, break down the waste material, and detract flies. When the pit is within a foot from the top, cover it with debris and dig a new pit in a different location. Lines Ridge lines are the best place to hang lanterns, keep clothing off the ground, or to hold a bag. Drying lines should always be used to ensure you have a place to air bedding material and clothing during the day or when wet. Establishing a Sleep System A simple canvas and a couple of wool blankets can add as much as 20 pounds to your kit, but a good night’s sleep of at least 6 hours is one of the most important aspects of long-term comfort and survival. The following items are a good basis for a sleep system that will be effective in either a temporary or permanent shelter: * Wool blanket * Materials for a raised bed * Canvas * Large needle Building a Raised Bed A raised bed is necessary to combat ground temperature when sleeping. You can make a simple mattress with a canvas or wool blanket. First fold your canvas widthwise; it’s important that your bed be wide enough for you to roll over without falling. Thread your needle and whip-stitch the ends of your canvas on two sides. Next stuff your bed with leaves and grass. Stuff the bed and compress the material to make room for more, and keep stuffing and compressing until you have about 4” of compressed insulation. Then, stitch the last side up!Category:Mirwood Ranger Handbook